Ukrainian citizen Oleksandr Muzychko nicknamed Sashko Bily was on international wanted list for participation in combat actions against Russian servicemen

KIEV, March 25. /ITAR-TASS/. One of leaders of Ukraine’s far-right movement Right Sector Oleksandr Muzychko was killed in the western Ukrainian city of Rivne, local media reported on Tuesday.

Ukrainian police have opened a criminal case over the murder of Oleksandr Muzychko in western Ukraine, the press service of main police department in western Ukraine’s Rivne region told ITAR-TASS on Tuesday.

“Muzychko was killed at midnight local time (22:00 GMT, Monday) on Tuesday at a cafe named Dzhereltse (‘little springs’) in Barmaky village in Rivne Oblast not far from his house,” the police press service said. “There were many people there, investigative actions are being taken, and witnesses were questioned. No one has been detained yet,” the press service said.

According to preliminary reports, a conflict sparked up between several groups of people at the cafe. Then, the conflict continued outside and resulted in shooting Muzychko dead. He was presumably killed from a submachine gun. Criminal experts who have worked at the murder scene have found several gunshot wounds in his body, one bullet hitting the leg and others the body.

The Russian Investigative Committee opened a criminal case against Oleksandr Muzychko for participation in combat actions on the side of Chechen warlords Khattab and Basayev against Russian servicemen.

“Main investigative department of the Russian Investigative Committee in the North Caucasian Federal District opened a criminal case against Ukrainian citizen Oleksandr Muzychko, nicknamed Sashko Bily, under Article 209 Part 1 of Russian Criminal Code for formation of a gang to attack Russian citizens and rule it,” spokesperson of the Russian Investigative Committee Vladimir Markin said.

Muzychko and other members of the ‘Ukrainian National Assembly — Ukrainian National Self Defense’ (UNA-UNSO) party took part in battles against Russian servicemen during the storm of Grozny and brutally tortured the captives, killing them after that. He is responsible for murders of not less than 20 Russian soldiers.

One of the UNA-UNSO members gave testimonies. In 1994-1995, Muzychko and other UNA-UNSO members participated in fights with servicemen of the federal forces during the storm of Grozny. In January 1995, the examinant was repeatedly witnessing Muzychko brutally torturing the captive servicemen and then killing them. When torturing, Muzychko broke the fingers on the hands of army officers, put out eyes, pulled out their nails and teeth with plies, cut throat to some of them, and shot dead the others. “Thus, with his actions he showed others his hate to Russian servicemen,” Markin added.

Yarosh Case

March 5, another leader of the Right Sector, Dmytro Yarosh, was put on international wanted list. Charges were brought against him in absentia, according to spokesperson for Russia’s Investigative Committee Vladimir Markin.

“The Main Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of Russian Federation ruled to name Right Sector leader Dmytro Yarosh as defendant committing crimes under Part 2, Article 205.2 of Russia’s Criminal Code and Part 2, Article 280 of the Criminal Code (public calls for terrorist activities and public calls for extremism using mass media),” Markin specified.

The investigation believes that in his speeches, the leader of Ukrainian ultranationalist organization Right Sector Dmytro Yarosh publicly called anti-Russian forces to extremist actions ant terrorism on Russia’s territory.

"Ukrainians have always supported the liberation struggle of the Chechen and other Caucasian peoples. Now it’s the time for you to support Ukraine," Yarosh wrote. "As the Right Sector leader, I urge you to step up the fight. Russia is not as strong as it seems.”

During the first Chechen war, Yarosh was among several Ukrainian militants fighting against Russian troops. His post has caused indignation in republics of the North Caucasus and among the Russian public and lawmakers.